The Quest
by Maia of the Moon
Summary: A 'skirmish' with Calormen in the 3rd year of the Pevensies' reign leaves Susan awaiting execution while Edmund and Lucy are to be sold as slaves. Can Peter make allies in a world of enemies and save his siblings in time?
1. Daybreak

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or places mentioned, excepting Takkran, Terkkan, Leran and Poteen.

_**The Quest**_

"Lu, get off of me!" I yelped as Lucy began jumping on me, hollering to wake up.

"But Peter, you have to see Susan! She looks so funny!" Lucy squealed.

"She has a point. Susan _does _look incredibly funny." I heard Edmund's voice from somewhere else in the room.

"Why does she look funny?" I asked curtly.

"You'll have to get out of bed and see." Lucy told me snidely. Groaning, I opened my eyes and heaved myself out of the large oak bed. I had a feeling today was going to be one of my worse days. I was right.

"I have to warn you, Lucy. Peter never could imagine Susan looking funny. You'll be lucky if he gives you a smile, let alone a chuckle." Edmund acknowledged. I gave him a look and continued trailing them. Lucy rounded a bend and opened the door that led to Susan's room. Now, what I saw was more distressing than funny. _So trust Edmund and Lucy to like it. _I thought to myself angrily. The two had demolished Susan's room and she was attempting in vain to clean it up.

"That is not funny, you two!" I enlightened them roughly. Without waiting to see their reaction, I began rearranging some books onto a shelf, by alphabetical order. I knew that was how they'd been organized before. I didn't turn away from cleaning as the two clomped out of the room.

"Thanks for the help," Susan said a while later, though not looking up from her cleaning, "But don't you think that maybe you were a bit too rough on them? I mean, remember back in England when we were their age and we destroyed Mum's room? She wasn't that angry with us, she only asked us to help her clean it up."

"I'm not Mum." I told her, then immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I'm having a bad day and I'm taking it out on you."

Susan answered kindly, "Everyone has bad days, Pete."

"I know, but mine seem to abound." I said dryly. That earned me a dress on my head.

Susan laughed, "I think it looks good on you!" I picked it off of my head and threw it back at her. Then, shaking my head, I sighed. "This room is going to end up worse than how Lucy and Edmund like it if we don't stop this." Nodding, Susan set to work rearranging clothes in a burnished oak wardrobe that was in fact much like the one we had entered Narnia through.

"Finished! Finally!" I exclaimed as Susan and I stood in the middle of the sparkling-clean room.

Susan smiled and said, "You know, it was a bit messy to begin with. Edmund and Lucy actually did us a favour!" I smiled back, although I was still mad at them for purposely doing such a thing to Susan's room.

"Well, I feel like breakfast. Going to join me?" I inquired.

"Race you there." Susan smirked. We dashed out of the room. I was wrong. Today would be fine… wouldn't it?


	2. Forgiveness

Well, the day had started out badly, but it was turning out great. Breakfast had been wonderful, and I had struck up a very interesting conversation with Lucy's more-than-friend, the faun Tumnus. We had been talking about the diverse types of magic and how they were different. Until then, I'd only known of the Deep Magic, Dark magic and Light magic. But Tumnus told me of another kind: Majic. Majic was the branch of magic that defined whether or not a being had magical abilities. So, without Majic, dragons would have no fire, unicorns no horns. Majic could also be permeated into weapons, making them extremely powerful. One such example, the faun had explained, was my own sword, Rhindon. It moved faster and was perfectly balanced for a reason. Majic could also be given to creatures and humans, and it was how Aslan had given many of the animals in Narnia the gift of speech.

Now Susan, Edmund, Lucy and I were all sitting in a fairly large room, each doing something different. Lucy was sketching Phillip. I presumed it was a birthday present for Edmund, who was turning 13 in two days. I was pondering over whether or not we should have gryphons performing for the summer solstice celebration. Edmund was writing in his journal, as always, it seemed; Susan was thinking as I was, though there was no way I could tell what was on her mind.

"Hey Pete, how's outer space?" Edmund teased, punching my shoulder playfully. I glanced at him, wondering whether now would be the opportune time to forgive him and Lucy. I was about to decide against it but gave in to temptation.

I smirked and replied, "You should know, you're there all the time." Edmund and I stared at each other for a second then leapt at each other in mock battle. We rolled about the floor, one trying to get on top of the other. Of course, I went easy on him considering I was 18 and he was only 13 (Almost).

"I swear, if you two weren't my brothers, I'd think you were not suited to be kings." Susan said stiffly, disapproving of our wrestling.

Edmund retorted, "Oh, and this is the same Susan that was being oh-so-polite to Peter earlier this morning?"

To this Susan sighed. "I'll try to lighten up if you two try to look more like kings and less like fools."

"Sure thing; we can start in four years." I laughed and continued fighting Edmund.

"How dare you two have fun without me!" Someone roared. Edmund and I jumped and swung around to see Lucy.

"Better." She smiled, walking up to us. Then she leapt onto me and the fight continued, two against one. I guess it was even, even if it didn't seem fair.

All too soon, our play ended. A horn sounded from the gate of Cair Paravel, and Edmund ran off to investigate while Lucy ran to see from a window. I looked to the corridor when Edmund had gone, his footsteps still resounding on the marble floors. Then I looked to where Lucy had gone, up some stairs to a hallway with doors to both her and Susan's rooms. Sighing, I decided to follow Edmund. It was probably nothing, but I've learned the hard way that it's better to watch, just in case.

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Author's note: Okay, I seriously need reviews and suggestions! I'll continue once I get 2+ reviews. So review or you won't get anything! And yes, I realize my chapters are rather short. I'm not too good at those fine details. :-/_

_**Edmund: You're evil.**_

_Me: I know. Isn't it wonderful?_

_**Lucy: XD**_


	3. Preparation

I passed through a corridor leading to the Great Hall and from there, took two more that got me to the gates. Cair Paravel had two lines of defence here: two wooden gates that we kept open unless under attack, and two crosshatched gates made of iron and painted black. It was supposed to deter people who wanted to get in, when we didn't want them in. I just thought it was ugly.

"So you did follow me." Edmund, who had arrived three seconds before me, rose an eyebrow, thinking I'd have gone with Lucy.

Susan ran up to us and puffed, "Sorry I'm late. Bumped into Natir. You know, the cheetah?" Natir had been one of Edmund's best friends ever since he had started exploring around camp, all the way back before the battle of Beruna. Natir had been his guide. In fact, now that all was said and done, usually they were inseparable. One could usually see them sitting together in front of the fireplace, speaking quietly to one another. _But not today, I guess. _I made a mental shrug and turned my attention to the very distressed messenger galloping through the doors.

Canwick, a palomino stallion, whinnied for all to hear. "Calormen warriors are trying to invade Archenland! King Lune does not know!" There was a collective gasp from everyone in the room. That meaning the centaurs who had opened the doors, myself, Edmund, Susan, and Tumnus, who had also come to look.

"We've got to help them!" Edmund cried rather rashly.

Susan put a hand on his shoulder. "Hold it, tiger! You're not going anywhere until we've decided what to do. Archenland is our neighbour and our prime trading partner. Yes, we have to do something. But should we not send a messenger to King Lune telling him what's going on?"

At this moment I took out a piece of parchment and scribbled only slowly enough to be legible,

_An urgent message to King Lune from King Peter, High King of Narnia!_

_Calormenes have invaded your Southern border, according to the stallion Canwick. If you wish, we will dispatch 50 to help you. We do not find your country weak, but if anything happened to you Narnia would not only be next, but become weak as our countries thrive upon each other._

_Please reply quickly, for more may be at stake than you think!_

_King Peter, High King of Narnia. No time to write the rest!_

I shook my head at how sloppy it was. And the lack of etiquette was astounding. But if Canwick was right, this was necessary.

"Stormfeather!" I called to a passing gryphon.

The grey and black gryphon turned, startled. "Your Majesty?" _How many times have I told him not to call me that?_

"Please, go to Archenland with this letter and find King Lune. Give it to him. Don't give it to anyone else, they might not get it to him in time." Stormfeather nodded and took the parchment in his beak. Then, with powerful wings, he took off, cut through the air startlingly quickly, turned on his wingtip, and disappeared from view. Guessing the answer to the letter, I immediately began giving orders, not at all the calm Peter of five minutes ago. It was time to show why Aslan had made me High King.

"Susan, find Lucy! Edmund, gather twenty centaurs. Fifteen warriors, ten archers! Tumnus, if you may, gather ten animals. Make sure Apricot the jaguar, Argent the wolf, June the cougar and Terek the mare are among them. The rest are up to you. I'll find Philip and Silver, as well as 15 fauns and satyrs. We meet in the Great Hall. Go!" I commanded. As we all rushed off on our jobs, I realized that perhaps this day wasn't going to be as good as I planned. But it was still going to get worse.


	4. Bloodshed

Twenty centaurs, three humans, two horses, ten satyrs, five fauns, a unicorn, a jaguar, three wolves, a cougar, a gorilla, two snakes, and a polar bear stood (or sat) in front of me.

I addressed them in the bravest voice I could muster. "We have received a return message from King Lune. He wishes for our help. The army fighting for Archenland is 100 strong, but the Calormenes amount to two hundred warriors. The oppsoing enemy has no archers, foolish of them. That I suspect will be our advantage. I am asking for three willing captains, not only my kin. Susan, you will lead the archers as is custom. Who will lead the other warriors, aside from me?"

A spitting cobra slithered up and fluidly changed into a human in thick but maneuverable leather armor. It was a knight named Magenta. I wouldn't call her my friend, but she was a worthy warrior. Or, lack thereof. She much preferred martial arts.

"I'll lead." It was more of a command than a question. I sighed inwardly and looked at the other two that had stepped up.

"I will be glad to lead the battle by your side, my King, if you allow it." My favourite general said.

I shook my head, smiling. "When have you not led with me, Oreius?"

The centaur answered, "I believe the answer is never, your majesty." I grinned and looked to the next. _Oh, great. _I mentally kicked myself for opening up the positions to everyone.

"I'll do it, if you'll let me. And don't you comment about my race." Maia the wolf narrowed her eyes at me. I rolled mine at her. She was a wolf, and I was wolfsbane. She was supposed to be scared of me.

"Yes, yes, you can lead." I sighed. Hearing a contented bark, I nodded that everything was set.

"To battle!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a long hard hour of riding and running, and we were all wary. Now, atop Silver the unicorn, I surveyed the battle from across the field where it took place. Nearly every Archenlandian warrior was battling more than one Calormene. We'd change that. A horn sounded somewhere among our ranks.

"_**For Narnia and for Archenland!**_" I yelled at the top of my lungs as we charged into battle. For a long time, I was unaware of anything happening around me. Swing, slash, stab, block, repeat. After a while, I switched back to my thinking self. We were winning the battle now. I searched the battlefield for my siblings. An arrow whizzed right by my face and I swung to face our archers. I saw Susan with a sheepish grin, waving at me. I nodded to her, wishing I was younger so I could stick my tongue out and get away with it. Only Lucy and Edmund could do that. Speaking of which, where were they? I scanned the battlefield once more, and saw nothing. I looked again to the archers. Nothing. I searched the ground, and it was then that I found Lucy, but no Edmund. But only Lucy was on my mind right now.

"Silver! To Lucy!" I screamed, frantic to get to my little sister. She had been struggling under the grasp of a Calormene who had had his sword to her throat. My unicorn friend plowed through the enemies, stabbing those who got in her way with her razor-sharp horn. Finally, after what seemed like hours, we reached the scene. Now Lucy had her hands chained behind her back. Seeing me, she screamed my name. In turn, I screamed hers. I rushed at the soldier that held her, but was blocked off by two more warriors and could only watch helplessly as she was dragged away. My eyes caught a flash of red and suddenly I saw Edmund, sporting a bad leg wound, pushed into pace with her, glaring. The he saw me.

I could barely hear him as he hollered, "**Continue the battle! Don't let them win or they'll have you and Susan too! Just keep-**" I never heard the rest of his sentence. Because while I was straining my ears to hear him, I was knocked from Silver. I rolled away from a stabbing sword that would have killed me, then realized I was at the feet of the other soldier. He grinned maliciously and drove his sword into my stomach. Then all went black.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: R&R as always, I'll only continue after two reviews!

Me: Bwahahahaha! Cliffahngers are **_so_ **fun.

**Peter: Not for me they aren't!**

Me: You're only saying that because I got you stabbed.

**Peter: WHY ELSE!?!**


	5. Sorrow

Alright, just going to clear a few things up. First, the ages of the Pevensies. Peter is 18, Susan is 16, Edmund is 13, and Lucy is 11.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I slowly became conscious. Well, that was good. I was alive. But whether or not we had won was a different question. I opened one eye, very slightly. I was in a red tent with intricate golden designs. There was a lion's head portrayed at the top, staring down at me. I was in the hands of fellow Narnians. Opening both eyes, I tried to sit up and yelped as pain shot through my body. I dropped back down onto the bed I had been occupying.

"Peter, the last thing you should be doing is trying to sit up!" Someone reprimanded me. Seeing as there had been no respect whatsoever in the sentence, it was probably Magenta. I twisted my head, trying to see my surroundings. I saw some heads, some horns, healing supplies on a table, and the sides of the tent meeting the roof.

I croaked, "Where… Lucy… Edmund…?"

"Gone. Peter, the Narnian army lost half of its warriors to defend Archenland. Some are dead. Others are just… stolen away. Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are among the latter. Argent, Terek, and June are among the former." Someone's head popped up into the air above me. Squinting, I made out one of my friends, Apollo. He hadn't gone to battle, so I must have been brought back to Cair Paravel. Then the fact that I had lost not only my siblings but three of my best warriors made me rub my temples as if to ward off a headache.

"Did we win on Calormen?" I tried to use words that were soft on my very parched tongue. I decided it sounded very strange and not fit for a king.

"Tongue hurts. Water?" I asked, at the same time giving an explanation.

I heard another voice that sounded a lot like mine. "Yes, you and your army along with King Lune and his won. But there are a lot of deaths. And I guess we've been neglecting you a bit, waiting for you to wake on your own. Can you drink by yourself or do you need assistance?" From the voice and the words I guessed the person talking as Cedrik, Apollo's older brother.

I replied, "Can't even sit up let alone drink." At least my sentences were making more sense.

"I take it you're wanting help then." Cedrik said. At about the same time I heard something swishing around and saw a jug placed on the table with the healing supplies. Someone else took it and as I turned my head even more I saw Tumnus the faun holding the jug, fixing me with worried eyes.

He smiled weakly and said, "I hope you don't mind getting wet. I don't have a very steady hand."

I replied, "All is appreciated." And then- water! Cool, wonderful water. Obviously Tumnus was only being modest. I sighed, content, after the jug had been emptied. Then I decided foolishly that water was all I had needed. I tried once more to sit up and felt bones moving into places where they shouldn't have been. Groaning, for I hadn't the strength to do much else, I lay back down.

"I just told you not to sit up!" Magenta shouted, exasperated.

I grinned despite my pain and replied, "Stubborn; runs in the family."

"Yeah, just take a look at your brother." Apollo smirked. I opened my mouth to laugh and then realized that I might never hear another _'No, do it yourself!'_ from Edmund let alone Susan or Lucy. And then it hit me: the wave of sadness. _They aren't dead yet! _I tried to tell myself. It didn't work.

I murmured, "I might never see them again."

Magenta replied, "You won't if you don't try and don't heal quickly. You will if you do heal quickly and manage to smuggle yourself into Calormen and save them before the week is done. So that's basically saying no, you probably won't."

I snorted, "I feel so reassured."

"You shouldn't get your hopes up. It'll take at least a day for that wound to heal even with our best remedies." Apollo sighed.

"But can't Lucy-" I stopped myself. Lucy wasn't here. She was in the hands of the enemy, as well as Edmund and Susan. _I don't care what they say, _I vowed, _I am getting my siblings back._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: Wow, I'm getting more reviews. I guess I needed to make the story a bit more interesting. Well nearly killing Peter seems to be doing the trick. Don't worry, there'll be plenty more of that.

**Peter: (grumbles)**

**Susan: As long as we all get home in one piece.**

Me: I'll think about it...

**Susan: I am so _wonderfully_ reassured by your exquisitely _optimistic _comments.**


	6. Journey

Two Days Later

I leapt nimbly up the stairs, two at a time. With the best herbs my friends could find, I had healed in two days. Normally I would have pondered this and thought about how implausible it was. After all, we had begun to take Lucy's Fireflower juice for granted. Oh, how I missed her cheerful laugh! Would I ever hear it again? Would I ever have another argument with Edmund? Would I ever again see Susan dancing, with forget-me-nots weaved into her flowing hair? I missed them all so much, and I wasn't sure if I'd ever see them again.

But now I had a chance. News had arrived from Calormen telling of their would-be fate. Susan, being old enough, was to be executed six days from now. Not happening. Lucy and Edmund, being too young by law to be executed, were to be sold as slaves and retrieved once old enough for execution, unless the owner bought them. They had already found a job for Edmund, who would be sent away in four days. He was supposed to work in a mine. Nobody wanted Lucy yet. After all, she was far too young to be of much service in many places, and Calormenes seemed to have many more complaints than Narnia about girls. In Narnia, everyone was treated equally, and the punishment was harsh if one decided to break such a rule. Well, as harsh as I could make it without being called soft.

"My king, we leave in mere minutes! What could you want at the last second?" Stormfeather the gryphon called up to me. I swerved to face him and the rest of the party going with me on my journey. There was Stormfeather as already mentioned, to scout ahead from the sky. I had decided to bring Oreius along for obvious reasons. Silver snorted snot all over me when I suggested she stay behind. Sure, she wouldn't talk, but the message had been clear enough. Falahir the zohrak, a flying snakelike creature, had come purely for the military aspect. Zohrak had a lethal bite that killed within hours, and could slightly camouflage themselves to fit in with their surroundings. Their membranous wings could carry them through the sky, dropping unseen unto their enemies. I was glad to have them on my side. We also had an unusually intelligent (And even more unusually friendly) giant by the name of Herelifim. And then there was, of course, me.

"The others haven't-" I caught myself saying my brother and sisters were still in bed. They weren't.

"We've only four days to reach Calormen, majesty, every second counts." Falahir said in his low, hissing voice.

"Really, though, we have six. Its okay t' go over four though I think King Edmund would have me head fer sayin' that. He won't die from two days working in th' mines, but yer sister can't escape th' blade." Herelifim pointed out.

"I suppose…" Stormfeather stared.

"No time to think. If we stop at this useless chatter then we won't have to worry about going over four days." Oreius commented briskly. I nodded in agreement although Herelifim had a point. Mounting Silver, I motioned Stormfeather and Falahir into the air, which they obeyed promptly. Herelifim mounted a Grellhain, special huge hounds found only in the far west. I though it looked like something out of Hell. Herelifim found it cute.

"I used our code for 'the journey begins': **"**_**The hawk flies, through day and through night!"**_

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: Bo-ring. I know, short and disappointing. But bear with me, because the next chapter will not only be through someone else's point of view but it will be in a totally different place. So if you bothered to read this, not only will you understand all the characters but you will also understand the next chapter! So if you skipped this, go back and read it.

**Susan: This isn't sounding too good.**

Me: That's kind of my point.

**Edmund: I Don't wanna be a slave!**

Me: I'll think about letting them get there before four days are over…

**Edmund: Someone get this person away from us before I'm killed in some tragic accident.**

Me: Hey, that's a good idea!


	7. Agony

_Just thought I'd say and ask a few things. First: I'll be doing one chapter each from Susan, Edmund, and Lucy's perspectives. Here's Edmund's. Susan'll be when she's rescued, and Lucy's will be either the last chapter or the epilogue depending on wherether or not there is one._

_Two: I ask all reviewers: Should I kill off anyone? I always though it'd be dramatic if Oreius died, but I might be wrong._

_Three: I have been neglecting my disclaimers... This time, I don't own Narnia, it's characters, OR Calormen (Or any familiar characters from it). I do own Argent the wolf, Terek the mare, the concept of grellhains and zohrak. I own... Herelifim, Stormfeather, Maia... the list hoes on. Basically, if C. S Lewis doesn't own it, I do._

* * *

Edmund's POV

"Urrgghhh…" I awoke very dizzy. What happened? I tried to remember… a battle, getting slashed in the leg. Someone binding my hands and tossing away my sword. Pushing me along until I could see Lucy, who was in the same situation. We'd been forced to walk… and it was then that I'd seen Peter. He was on Silver, trying to get to Lucy. He had seen me and our eyes had met. _"Continue the battle! Don't let them win or they'll have you and Susan too! Just keep fighting!" _That was when he'd been knocked away. I was pushed along with Lucy and couldn't look back no matter how I tried. I didn't even know if he'd survived.

I wondered to myself. Slowly but surely I pulled myself into the sitting position, feeling no pain. Taking a look around, I saw it was a crudely made cell. There were barrels of half-rotten fish on one wall, and another held bars. The other two walls were bare, nothing special about them. There were no windows. A small glow came from right of the bars that held myself and I assumed others (I heard someone breathing) prisoner. Otherwise the place was dark. I decided to address the fact that there was another, possibly _others, _in the room. The shape of Lucy huddled in one corner, sleeping. At least she wasn't awake to face the world and the fact that they were captured. I glanced to the other corner, seeing something move. I took a step back and the shape flinched. I sensed no threat. Had someone been captured along with us? 

"…Ed?" I started voice whispered. I identified it immediately.

"Susan!" I yelled, throwing myself at her in a huge hug.

I felt something wet fall onto my shoulder. Susan was crying. I realized that I was too. "I thought you- you could have died- Is Peter okay? Or were you taken before us? They-"

Susan's soothing voice calmed me. She said, "One at a time, Edmund. I only remember being attacked from behind and passing out. My eyes were on the battle."

I hung my head, ashamed. "You're right. How could you know any of those things? You were just like me. Fighting, and then captured. Like that." I snapped my fingers for effect. I saw Susan's shape nod. Then her head turned to where Lucy was stirring. I mentally kicked myself for yelling and crying. _Of course you're happy to see Susan, but you don't have to wake Lucy in the process, you twit! _I reprimanded myself.

"Nobody needs to explain, apologize, rant, or weep." Lucy's voice rang clear. "I'm fine. Susan, you're fine. And Edmund, at least that's who you look like from here, I believe you are relatively fine too." I shook my head in surprise. What had happened to my passionate, bright little sister?"

Lucy suddenly giggled, "Alright, how much did I sound like Susan there?"

"Lots." I chuckled, realizing the joke. Susan joined in.

"Oh, you filthy rats are awake. Good." A mean, raspy male voice distracted us. I looked to the little light we had just in time to see it brighten; someone was opening a door. I heard the heavy steps of feet and swoosh of a cloak as someone came into view. All I could see of the figure was a grey cloak complete with hood, and grizzled chin. What worried me, however, was the outline of weapons under the cloak and the whip in the obvious villain's right hand. Inadvertently I gulped down the bile rising in my throat, knowing what was about to happen. Something I'd been through before.

I heard Susan whisper, "Oh, no."

The man in the grey cloak laughed. Not a kind, trickling laugh like Susan's or Peter's: A nasty, sneering laugh. "I though I'd give ye all a taste of some Calormene weapons. Tell me which ones are most painful. You're first, little girl." He advanced on Lucy. Instantly love overcame fear.

I leapt in front of Lucy, rather nimble for all of my nearly useless leg. "Use your dirty weapons on me, coward! So afraid of the boy without his sword and the girl without her bow that you pick on the innocent one who wouldn't touch a weapon? Now that's not fair. I'll take mine and hers. And my other sister's if need be."

"Ah, the little brat has a soft spot. Well, I'm perfectly fine with that. After all, I've learned ye fear such things." He snarled softly, which made it all the more menacing. It reminded me of someone I really didn't want to think about.

The man raised his whip and growled, "Good luck survivin'. You'll need it." And with that he brought it down. I yelped in pain but didn't regret my decision. I would survive this. Lucy wouldn't. So I would take it for her.

* * *

**Edmund: What was that for?**

Me: I dunno. I liked writing it though.

**Lucy: You're a mean, mean person!**

Me: And I enjoy every bit of it.


	8. Nightmare

_Surrounded by shadows, I knew I was dreaming. There was a little light somewhere to the left of me, and that illuminated the scene before me._

_Lucy crouched in a corner, weeping. About a metre away Edmund lay in a pool of his own blood, barely breathing. Susan was backed up against a wall, facing someone in a cloak with various weapons. What was happening here!?! I tore through the room to stand between the two only to realize I couldn't do a thing. The figure took a dagger and jumped at Susan. I was still in between. I braced myself- and felt nothing. I was like a ghost, not seen by anyone else. There was nothing I could do. I backed away in horror of the scene before me. Susan was trying to avoid the blows as best she could, but most were hitting her. I flinched as the cloaked figure threw the dagger away in my direction and took out a whip. Trying to back away, I suddenly felt myself falling, faster and faster. Everything was a swirl of darkness now. I wanted to hit the ground. Just be done with this fear. Falling, faster and faster and-_

"SUSAN!" I yelled.

"What is the matter?" Falahir roused himself from a seemingly deep sleep.

"I… I dreamed about the others… and they were… it was… Susan was being tortured, and Edmund was nearly dead… Lucy was crying… it was so real!" I managed to say. It was becoming hard to breathe, as I couldn't swallow the lump growing in my throat. It was only then that I realized I had started crying.

Oreius, who had been on watch, stated, "It probably was real, my king. I would not be surprised if you had such a bond with your siblings that you could feel that they were in trouble."

I asked shakily, "Does that mean that what I saw was… was real?"

"I'm afraid so, majesty." Oreius nodded. "And considering that fact, I believe we should begin moving again. The sun is almost visible either way."

"Already…? I was havin' such a good dream…" Herelifim mumbled. He hadn't spoken since I had accidentally awakened him.

Stormfeather asked sleepily, "Shall I scout ahead?"

Wiping my face with my tunic, a terrible habit of mine, I nodded. "Let's try to cover a larger distance each day. The sooner we're there, the better." As I said this, everyone began to rise. Today, we would move faster, and with less breaks.

"Stop!" Stormfeather circled down. We all slowed and eventually came to a halt as the gryphon, which had not touched the ground since taking off before sunrise, landed before us.

He reported, "There may be a few bandits up the road, but not a large amount. We should be able to take them if they even dare to attack us."

I asked, "Do you have a rough estimate of their numbers? And could you tell their race?"

"About fifteen, I believe. I saw for sure a Minotaur, though I may also have seen a boggle or two. I assume they are remnants of the Witch's old army." Stormfeather said.

"Fifteen warriors, against us," I weighed the odds, "Though we have not an unworthy fighter among us. I say, we meet them head-on. They will not expect it and thus we will have an element of surprise."

"We await your orders, my king." Oreius said, trotting up to me.

* * *

Nyah! Cliffhanger! Or, it's early morning and my brain is too tired after a week of riding camp to think up a battle. Yeah, that's probably it… not to mention my muses have left me…

Lucy: Did not!

Me: Hey! You're back!

Edmund: We never left, you blithering idiot!

Me: Oh.


	9. Misfortune

"So we continue at a normal pace?" Falahir asked me.

I gave a slight nod and told the group, "We'll act as if nothing happened and keep going, but once we round that turn, ready yourselves for battle." I longed for someone to say, 'Yes, oh high and mighty one!', but Edmund wasn't here. I wanted somebody to tell me we ought to think about it more, but Susan was gone too. I wished to tell Lucy to stay behind, but Lucy was far, far away. They all were. I was surrounded by friends, and yet it felt as if I was dreadfully alone.

"Sire?" I jumped and whipped around to face Oreius.

"Sorry; what were you saying?" I mumbled.

He gave a faint smile and repeated what he'd said. "Shall we set off?" I nodded, and asked Silver for a canter, which she obeyed almost immediately. I marveled at how she obeyed my every order even though there was a law in Narnia that clearly stated if anyone mounted an unwilling equine the punishment would be severe. I warily turned my attention to the road ahead of us. The gap between us and the turn in the road was getting steadily smaller. Now Stormfeather took off into the air once more. Falahir followed him. Herelifim urged his hellhound (Grellhain…) on, and Oreius began to gallop by my side. Without being asked, Silver did the same.

My heart began to beat faster once we had rounded the bend. _Maybe they won't attack us. _I thought to myself. All too soon, however, this idea was ruined by an arrow whizzing through the air. I nimbly leapt off a galloping Silver, something I had to work for months to perfect, and landed in the long grass beside the road. If we weren't being attacked, I would have just stopped to admire the countryside. Then of course there was also our time limit to consider, and-

"Watch out!" I heeded the warning and leapt to the right just in time to avoid an arrow, and looked to who had saved my life: King Lune of Archenland.

I yelled back at him, "Thank you! But what are you doing here? Who warned you?"

Driving his sword into a werewolf, he responded, "You're closer to the Archenlandian border than you think, King Peter! Until Calormen is in view, my warriors and I will assist you in your quest. But we must talk later, now is not the opportune moment!" I nodded and drew Rhindon, rushing a hag. Once I had easily killed it, I was jumped from behind from a Minotaur. I threw myself into it, knocking it backwards and dazing it. Twisting around, I killed it too and ran at a werewolf battling fiercely with Herelifim's Grellhain. I threw Rhindon at it while running and it howled in pain as it was struck. Then I realized I would have to get close enough to retrieve the sword and mentally kicked myself for not thinking. The werewolf pulled Rhindon out of its side and began to advance on me, eyes glimmering unpleasantly. I sidestepped and it leapt at me, knocking me to the ground. I struggled to get out of its grip and while I did, the unthinkable happened; I was bitten. Now even more desperate, I tried to throw it off me and failed miserably again. The beast obviously had every notion of what it wanted to do; it bit me again and ran off. How, now, was I supposed to complete my journey? Because even somebody who had no clue about Narnian life knew that once bitten by a werewolf, you'd become one.

I pulled myself into a sitting position and surveyed the battle. There was only the werewolf that had bitten me and a couple of boggles left. Generally each one was killed, either by one of my own warriors of one of King Lune's twelve. I tried to stand and failed, hitting the ground again. I'd been bitten on my right arm, and in the general area of my stomach. Neither seemed to be bleeding too much but both hurt like hell. I could guess why.

Now that the battle was done, Oreius noticed I was… having some problems.

"King Peter, what happened?" He asked immediately upon seeing my bites.

I looked up at him and said dully, "A werewolf happened."

* * *

What's with me and cliffhangers? Oh, well, I loved writing this and I can only hope all you faithful readers do too! The chapter's very slightly longer this time, and I hope they keep getting longer until they're actually decently sized. XD

Peter: No comment.

Me: Nothing to say in your defense?

Peter: I'm holding it in so I can go on a rant later.

Me: Sounds good, Petey!

Peter: Don't. Call. Me. Petey.


	10. Determination

"This is very grave news, indeed. There is nothing, to my knowledge, that can cure the bite of a werewolf." King Lune sighed sadly. Both groups, now combined, had taken refuge in a glade off of the road after the battle. The underbrush was thick enough to hide us but not so much that we couldn't find out way back to the road. Our camp was in a small clearing. Again, normally I would enjoy being in such a place but the situation did not allow it.

"Ouch!" I yelped as the healer from the Archenlandian party tried to make sure my wounds didn't get infected.

I then mumbled apologetically, "Sorry. They hurt. A lot."

"Don't worry that much, sire," The healer smiled softly. "Nobody's sure what to do about the effects of the bites but at least we can stop them from slowing your journey." What I would have liked to say was, _I feel so reassured, _but that wasn't exactly kingly, or respectful, behavior.

Stormfeather asked tentatively, "Shall we continue through Archenland tomorrow, or rest here?"

"I don't care that I've been bitten by a werewolf. We'll only have to worry about it on the next full moon. We continue. But, um, Oreius, when _is _the next full moon?" I asked.

The centaur replied, "Tomorrow night, my king."

"That might be… a bit of a problem…" I gulped.

"How hard can it be, King Peter? I don't think it'd really be that hard t' contain yerself." Herelifim said.

I warned him, "Do not explore unfamiliar territory in the dark. You may get in trouble." It was a Narnian proverb I had learned one day, when I was having battle practice. I was sparring with Edmund and when I tried a move that was for only very experienced swordfighters, I ended up on my backside with most of the beings in the courtyard giggling. That's when Edmund had said it, and pulled me up. I never did learn where he heard it, but it was said around the castle often.

Herelifim grumbled, "I suppose ye have a point." I always held back a snicker when he spoke; his red beard shook everywhere and made him look akin to some wild half-human beast. _Like a werewolf,_ I thought bitterly.

"What are we going to do about… tomorrow night?" Stormfeather inquired uneasily.

"Cross the bridge when you reach it." I grumbled. Then I caught myself. _Peter, you bad mood is showing. _I told myself sternly and apologized.

Oreius looked to me and said firmly, "My king, you _are_ allowed to show your feelings. When you keep them to yourself, they keep building up until you can't hold it anymore. And that's when somebody's feelings are hurt."

I realized he was right and sighed, "What are we going to do? Susan, Edmund, and Lucy aren't here, so they can't take control for me. We have to rescue the others, so there's no possibility of turning back, especially now that we're about halfway there. Worst of all, there's nothing that's going to stop me if I… if I-"

Stormfeather interrupted, "There's no need to continue, King Peter. We all know of what may or may not happen. I believe I am speaking for all of us when I say you are not alone. We will do all we can to help you, and if you must go back, we will press on. If one of us dies, we will press on. We will do everything within our power to retrieve your siblings, as you are. I will repeat what I said: _You are not alone_. And if all goes wrong and you are the only one left, the lion is always with you. And I will fight to the death for your siblings."

Herelifim rose to his feet. "And I will, too!"

"As will I." Oreius followed.

"And I!" Falahir cried.

"They are not my kin, but I shall." King Lune stated. A chorus of reassuring shouts came over me like a wave and I realized Stormfeather was right. My siblings were facing death and slavery, but I was far from alone. And with the help of fiercely loyal friends, I _would_ rescue them.

* * *

Well how do you like that? It's so very long… um, short… never mind. Well, I'm pretty proud with how it turned out. Any reviews? Pretty please? Oh, and don't worry, Peter will be fine in the end.

Peter: There goes my planned rant.

Me: I didn't want the readers to have to read such a monstrous thing anyways. I saw it; there are ninety-three vulgar words.

Peter: Ninety-four.

Me: WHATEVER!


	11. Apprehension

The next day dawned cold and wet, perfectly matching my mood. What else would one expect from a king who would become a werewolf the following night? An autumn chill was also in the air; leaves were duller than they had been upon out leaving Cair Paravel and some were ever yellow or red. I shivered and fiddled with my cloak, eventually pulling it closer.

"What is wrong, sire?" Falahir hissed.

I sighed, "Everything."

"Do not let the anticipation slow your journey." Oreius warned, "Your siblings need you."

"I know, but-" I cut myself off. It was no use arguing if you know you were wrong.

"One of King Lune's soldiers tried to smile as he said, "Things could be worse. You or one of your party could be dead. You could have less than six days. Or it is possible that-"

"Thanks for trying to help," I stopped him, "but we're already on the fourth day. It'll be a miracle if we reach Calormen itself by tomorrow let alone Tashbaan. And who's to say nothing will stop us in between?"

Herelifim heaved a sigh and said, "Ye seem t' be in an awfully bad mood, King Peter. And ye might like t' know it's contagious."

I mumbled, "Sorry…"

All of a sudden, Stormfeather circled down and began flying close enough to be heard.

"I suggest you pick up your pace! Calormen is already in sight!" I gasped. All of us had thought it would take a day and a half at least to reach Calormen but judging by how long we'd been riding it was only late afternoon.

Silver began galloping all out, again without being asked. To tell the truth I was caught a bit off guard, but since my arrival in Narnia I had become a rather established rider, at least more than Susan or Edmund. Lucy, however, was the best and fastest rider. Of course, she loved horses and unicorns, but the difference between us was that I couldn't tell a Narnian horse from and Archenlandian pony while she couldn't tell a buckskin from a dun.

"Are we really that close?" Herelifim jolted me out of my thoughts.

"I guess so! Lucky us!" I smiled, my mood beginning to change just a bit. If any of us survived tonight, maybe Susan, Edmund, and Lucy had a chance.

Stormfeather screeched, "You are approaching the end of the trees, the path will become harder to see and also smaller!" I gave a big nod to show I had heard him, and urged Silver on. We actually didn't really have a plan. Stormfeather suggested he scout out the city, but we decided he would be noticed. We thought of my going in alone and disguised but agreed it would be too risky. Earlier today, however, we had the idea of Falahir finding the quickest route from the city gates to my siblings' prison. He could partially camouflage himself so he would not easily be noticed as Stormfeather would. It was a good idea, but we still didn't know how to go about actually rescuing them.

"Ho, whoa, everyone down to a walk!" King Lune commanded from the front. All the horses and Silver slowed almost immediately. Herelifim's grellhain, however, ran a few yards ahead of us before realizing we had begun to walk.

"What is it?" I called up to the front. I imagined it would be hard to hear; King Lune was leading but I was taking up the rear.

He responded, "Look up!" I obeyed and saw a second gryphon slowly circling down. Its brown feathers and distinct broad head made me realize it was Sylvar, the gryphon who had lead the aerial attack in the Battle of Beruna.

He called, "Greetings! I bring news from Cair Paravel!" I stiffened in anticipation of bad news but upon hearing his casual tone calmed down.

Upon landing, he said, "Knight Apollo wishes for me to bring you news that a messenger pigeon arrived late last evening. It bore news from Calormen saying they have decided Queen Lucy will have a job in the royal kitchen and will take it at the same time her brother takes his job. He also says that he and his brother Cedrik have taken control of the castle in your absence and asks your approval. He also wanted me to tell you he wishes you all the best luck."

"Thank you for the news, Sylvar. Tell Apollo he made a good choice and that I approve. You may go home." I thanked him as he took off. This was good news and bad news at the same time. Every day Susan, Edmund, and Lucy spent in Tashbaan's dungeons (I assumed they were there) the better, but once Lucy was in the palace it would be quite hard to find let alone rescue her. But now, I realized, we had to make camp. Normally we would ride through the night, but there was a little problem with that. Tonight was the full moon.

* * *

Longer again, as promised. And also, the next chapter would be very hard to write from Peter's perspective, so I'm changing to Oreius, just once. That'll be hard too, of course, but I like a challenge. Unless it's impossible, then I just get pissed. P

Peter: I'm scared.

Lucy: I think they knew that.

Peter: I was talking to myself.

Edmund: Weirdo.


	12. Tribulation

The Chronicles of Narnia aren't mine. The characters aren't mine. The song _Promise of a Lifetime _isn't mine. Oh, great, I've gone and depressed myself.

* * *

**Oreius's POV**

The moon was rising and I could not be more agitated. Tonight's future loomed before us, and we hadn't a clue of how to handle them. Peter had suggested he be locked up and we would have gone with that, but we had nothing to lock him up with. Stormfeather thought he could run far, far away, but then there was a chance he would come back before dawn and also a chance that he would not come back at all. And so we came to the current situation: setting up camp though it was only evening. Peter had asked me to watch him and call the others when he- well, he had stopped off at that point of the sentence. I would have done the same.

"Oreius?" I turned to face Peter. He was slightly pale but otherwise fine.

"Yes, sire?" I answered.

He asked in a weak voice, "Do you know the position of the moon?" I shook my head and stepped outside to check. It was not quite night but not quite day; the light was moderate, for late summer. I could see the moon clearly, though it was very low in the sky. We had little time to wait.

I stepped back inside the tent and told Peter, "We do not have much time to wait now, my king." He shuddered.

_I have fallen to my knees  
As I sing a lullaby of pain  
I'm feeling broken in my melody  
As I sing to help the tears go away  
Then I remember the pledge you made to me__  
_

"Oreius? I- I think it's time." Peter whispered. And with that, he fell to the floor. I took no time and charged out of the tent, calling those who Peter had asked to come: King Lune and Stormfeather. He also wanted me present, but it would make no sense to call oneself. Immediately Stormfeather took off and with three great beats of his wings was at my side. I nodded solemnly and gave a little bow to King Lune, appearing out of a silver-and-blue tent with a hardened expression on his face. Together we dashed back into Peter's tent to see him still lying on the floor, breathing heavily.

He gasped, "I didn't know it would hurt!"

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Stormfeather inquired in a high-pitched voice, almost a screech. Peter shook his head and then tried to sit, failing miserably. I rushed to his side to help him when he tried again.

King Lune said in a calming tone, "Breathe deeply. What do you feel?"

Peter answered shakily, "It hurts all over. But it itches too. Do I look different?" Throughout these three simple sentences he paused, obviously in great pain. If only I could take his place!

"Now that you mention it, you do. You seem… well… wolfish. Your nose seems longer and… oh! Your eyes! They're amber!" Stormfeather exclaimed. Peter gave a groan. Not an exasperated groan, but a pained one. Then, he began to slowly but surely transform into a werewolf.

_I know you're always there  
To my every prayer inside  
I'm clinging to the promise of a lifetime  
I hear the words you say  
To never walk away from me and leave behind  
The promise of a lifetime_

"I can't help it! I need to attack something!" Peter screamed after few minutes. It was quite alarming, as he barely even looked like himself. Quickly Stormfeather took off to find something inanimate for him to strike. Lune and I rushed forward, then backward as Peter snarled at us.

He howled, "Run! Get out! I can't help myself!"

"No! We're with you!" I yelled back as Stormfeather hurtled in with a small log in his claws and a slab of venison in his beak. He swooped down, dropped them in front of Peter, and landed beside me.

"Thank… you." Peter managed before hurtling himself at the log, viciously tearing it to pieces. I gritted my teeth, imagining flesh in the place of wood. Then I stepped quickly outside to check the position of the moon; it was going down. I cheered silently; soon Peter would become himself once more.

_Will you help me fall apart  
Pick me up, take me in your arms  
Find my way back from the storm  
and you show me how to grow  
Through the change  
I still remember the pledge you made to me_

"I feel… more human." Peter murmured after a while. And he looked it, too. Eyes that were amber were blue once more, and he seemed less wolfish than he had a few minutes ago.

Stormfeather questioned, "Do you still feel the need to attack something?"

Peter answered, "No. But it's beginning to hurt again. And… thank you for staying with me." And then he fell again. But this time, he was more peaceful.

_I am holding on to the hope I have inside  
with you I will stay through every day  
putting my understanding aside  
and I am comforted_

* * *

That took forever! Well, I guess I can blame school, but that wouldn't quite be fair, simply because I've also been putting it off. I was thinking, _this either gonna be a masterpiece or crap. _I think it turned out in between.

Susan: Well, at least nobody was hurt.

Peter: I beg your pardon?

Susan: I mean, slash-bite-stab hurt.

Edmund: Yeah!

Peter: Are you all teaming up against me?

Lucy: How did you know?


	13. Peter

A/N: I'm deciding to get a little more serious now. That means I won't be having as many little jokes in the story, and there won't be any more characters conversing at the end. Sorry about how short this chapter is, I'm not sleeping too well and thus my creativity switch is on 'low'. My apologies again for the very long note.

I don't own Narnia or any characters related to it, whether they're made by C. S. Lewis or by Disney.

* * *

I had decided I needed alone time, and so I had told Oreius in the early morning after my transformation and then with his permission slipped off.

Last night had been terrible. The pain of going through that change and then becoming myself again didn't compare to much else I'd felt physically. The emotional stress was almost at the same level as that which I had felt when Edmund had been stabbed by the Witch in the Battle. I hoped there was something that could stop it.

I was sitting in a clearing, on a rock. A gust of wind blew some fire-coloured leaves off of the maples and birches surrounding me. One maple leaf stayed in the air for a longer time than the others, dancing in the wind. Eventually it came to rest in my lap. The leaf was beautiful. In the center it was bright yellow, and became gold then orange towards the edges. At the very fringes of the leaf one could see brown and red. It was speckled slightly with green. _Lucy would love this leaf, _I mused. After a little thought I decided to keep it for when, not if, but when we were reunited.

Hearing hoofbeats, I stood up and turned to see Oreius cantering gracefully up to me. Without asking why he was here, for it was obvious he was summoning me so we could continue the journey, I got up and nodded, then followed him back to camp where I was greeted warmly and given breakfast as if last night had never happened.

* * *

The fifth day. Lucy and Edmund were off. We had only today and tomorrow to rescue Susan. The suspense was horrid.

We'd been walking and occasionally trotting through the desert for perhaps a few hours. At the border between Archenland and Calormen, our Narnian party had continued on alone but with blessings. I was on foot after telling Silver to go back. She put up a bit of a fuss but eventually gave in. I didn't want to ride her through the desert and she would then have nothing to think about and no way to entertain herself, and there would be one more mouth to feed. And so she had gallivanted off in the general direction of Narnia.

I was parched. Another hour had all of us beat but we trudged on. But Stormfeather came bearing good news.

"An oasis! An oasis close to here! It is no mirage; I flew down to check! Follow me!" He yelled. We took off, the rest of the group jogging and gliding slowly enough only so that I could keep up.

Once we reached the oasis we set up camp. It was a beautiful place, with many palm trees and a few ferns. There was a clear pool of ice cold water in the center, and we pitched camp right beside it as the sun was beginning to go down.

After a while, I looked up at the moon, just coming out from behind some clouds. It was the same moon that had seen me as a werewolf last night. It was the same moon under which Aslan had been murdered by the Witch. It was the same moon under which Edmund had betrayed us. What else had it seen? What terrors, what celebrations? Had it seen another king change into a werewolf? And had it seen someone other than Aslan murdered by the Witch? Had anyone else been betrayed under it's cool light?

"It is hard to think it is the same moon of last night." Oreius, standing beside me, echoed my thoughts. I nodded, but moved not my eyes or my head.

"I think we take the moon for granted. It is a gift," I paused, "and a curse."

Oreius smiled only enough to be seen and said, "You think such complex thoughts for one your age. Have you always thought about things in such a fashion?"

I reflected on this for a moment then replied, "Not before Narnia. In Narnia I began to think more. But you know what? I have this queer feeling that Aslan has something to do with it. In a good way, of course, but do you not feel the same way?"

Oreius nodded and said, "Indeed I do, your majesty. Indeed I do. Now let us return to our duties, and then get some rest for tomorrow's trek. We will need the speed of a falcon to reach your sister in time."

And with a sick feeling, I realized he was right.


	14. Captive

A/N: I'm pretty proud of this one. It's my longest yet and I had to do some research on oasis temperatures. The next chapter will be fun to write too. Just wait and see…

I don't own any characters, places, or concepts associated with C. S. Lewis or Disney. I do own any characters, places, or concepts _not_ associated with C. S. Lewis or Disney.

* * *

After some thought, I decided it would be a good idea to rise early and take advantage of the pool that was just far enough away from the camp that it couldn't be seen. If nobody was up, then what use was lying in one's tent staring at nothing? And I hadn't washed since the beginning of the adventure, namely because there hadn't been time. The sun was just beginning to show its rays over the horizon when I leapt into the lukewarm water. I was glad it wasn't pure daylight; if so, I would boil.

I peered down at the bottom of the miniature lake. It looked close enough that I could dive down and grab a handful of sand. For the first time in a long while I relaxed, allowing myself to rise to the challenge of grabbing that sand. It was rather pointless, but it was something interesting that I could focus on without constantly dwelling on my problems.

I breathed deeply for a short while, concentrating. Then I took a huge gulp of air and submerged, pumping towards the bottom. Halfway there, my lungs began to get uncomfortable. Once I had reached the bottom, they were close to bursting. I grabbed some sand and used all the power I had to push off and shoot back to the surface. Closer… closer… now! I exploded out of the water and gasped for breath. Then, I looked up and froze. The sand, rightfully earned, dropped from my hand as I stared directly into the eyes of a Calormene warrior on the shore. He wasn't the only one; there was another wading into the water, pointing his pike at me.

Their armour wouldn't let them swim. But I knew I couldn't tread water forever, and so did they. The one who had advanced into the shallows had retreated to the water's edge. I thought about what to do for a while, then spied a large tree that was tough and couldn't be cut down very easily, but looked simple enough to climb for one who was agile. Better yet, my clothing was directly under it. More luck: it was exactly opposite where the soldiers were standing.

I took off, and in a short amount of time reached the shore. The warriors began to give chase, not having realized my plan until it was set into motion. Good, I also had intelligence on my side. Without looking I made a grab to the left and feeling fabric, clutched it and leapt up the large palm. I reached the top just as the soldiers reached the tree itself.

"He'll get thirsty, Leran, we can wait him out!" One of them shouted. I retreated to the little dip where the leaves joined the tree, free from view. I glanced wearily at my hand and slapped my forehead. I'd gotten the pants and one boot; the remaining boot and my tunic were still down with the soldiers. I decided against using the boot I had but didn't hesitate on the pants. If I didn't get away, it'd do better to be caught without being humiliated.

Wait a second. Of course there was hope. The camp and the rest of the party were only a call for help away. I smirked and looked down at the soldiers, putting on my best superior look.

"I hope you realize that there is a camp of Narnians just beyond those trees."

The soldier who had not yet spoken retorted, "I hope you realize the rest of our company has swords to their necks at this moment. Don't think we're trying to fool you. Among the company are a centaur, a giant, a gryphon, a demon snake thing, and a big dog. And then of course we came here and found you. What a pleasant surprise!" And then, "You're Narnian too, aren't you?"

I tried not to show my alarm. In that case, unless I could outrun them, the best choice was to surrender. I would try running but in the hostile desert climate, I wouldn't last too long. Calormenes were most likely used to it, or at least these ones, and so I would have to go, regrettably, with my first choice.

I resignedly hopped down the tree. One of the soldiers jeered at me, calling me a coward, but the other seemed more respectful. He picked up my tunic and stray boot and handed them to me. I mentally questioned his small act of kindness for a second and then smiled hesitantly and put them on.

We'll have to take this boy back to Terkkan. Maybe he'll know what to do. There's no guarantee he's a friend of the Tisroc, may he rot forever." The one whose name I did not yet know said. This confused me. Wasn't the Tisroc almost like a god in Calormen? All the Calormenes I had heard before had hoped he'd live forever, not rot forever. I opened my mouth to ask but thought better of it and asked a favour instead.

"You both seem kind enough and I have no intention of trying to run. If it is possible, may you simply walk with me rather than lead me back to the camp?"

The one who was meaner and slightly shorter, Leran he had been called, said no. The other said yes. There were a few minutes of bickering but the eventually agreed that they would not lead me but would become aggressive if I tried to run. And so we set off and in a few minutes were back at camp, which looked nothing like before.

The first thing I noticed was a man in brilliant armour speaking with Oreius. He was clearly the leader, but from his relaxed composure and sympathetic expression, he seemed kind enough.

"Terkkan, we found the last member of the party. He was at the lake. After a while he surrendered, but that's a different story. Do you want to speak with him?" The unnamed one asked. The soldier nodded but didn't stop speaking with Oreius, trying to give my friend the best attention possible. They finished speaking soon after and Oreius walked into one of the tents, but I supposed he was doing something time-consuming because he didn't come back immediately. Then the captain (I assumed) turned and strode towards me.

"Your name and rank?" He asked briskly. I cocked my head in confusion but answered anyways. Better to let them know the truth than lie and be punished later on.

"Peter Pevensie, High King of Narnia." There was a collective gasp from all the Calormenes in the camp.

The leader Terkkan lowered himself into a bow. I stood confounded, wondering what was going on.

He said, "Your highness, you are the very person we need."


	15. Suspense

Well, it's taken me long enough. Homework's been a drag and I've been busy with a lot of other things too. My best friend and fellow writer going on a trip didn't really help either. But at least it's here now. I apologize for not having done this before…

* * *

"Sorry to be blunt, but can somebody tell me what's going on?" I demanded.

"We are rebels, if you may. Outcasts, renegades, even traitors- we generally fit under that kind of name. You see, we think the Tisroc and his showy noble friends aren't doing things quite right. So I along with a small group of others found people with the same opinion, and we set off out of Tashbaan. For the last few months we've been intercepting ships and travelers across the desert- anyone we could find who wanted to trade with Calormen. That's really the only reason we've survived so long. And so when we saw you, all we saw was a group of Narnian traders to raid. Well, we're wrong as far as I can tell. This leads us to the story of why you are here, King Peter. Please tell us." Terkkan explained.

I nodded and began my own story. "You may have heard that not too long ago Archenland was attacked by Calormen, and Narnia came to help. I and my royal siblings took part in the battle, and along with Archenland we won. But I was wounded in the battle and took a few days to heal. During that time it was discovered that my brother and sisters had been captured by the Calormenes that attacked us. Lucy and Edmund have been sold into slavery and I have every intention of rescuing them. Susan is supposed to be executed today."

Terkkan's face grew grim at this news. Then, suddenly, it was determined. He declared, "Well, we just can't have that, can we? And I have a way that we can save all of your siblings this very day. Do we agree that we are allies?" I nodded and we shook hands, sealing the bond.

And then Terkkan took out a small whistle made of what looked like bone or ivory, more likely the former. He blew it and I was surprised at the sound; not a shrill, harsh blast but a musical sound, almost like a flute.

For a second, there was relative silence. Then, in the distance, came a quiet repetitive whooshing sound. Gradually it got louder until I could see something flying rapidly towards us. It flew quickly and with purpose, and when it opened its mouth a terrifying and noble roar filled my ears.

With a graceful sweep of his wings and another mighty snarl, the gleaming red dragon landed in the clearing where we had set up camp. He was small, the size of a large draft horse not counting his tail, and his claws and wing membranes were dull orange, his horns mahogany.

I was startled as he turned to Terkkan and said dutifully, "You summoned me."

"Yes." Terkkan replied, "I wish for you to serve this boy and make sure he comes to no harm. He is on our side and I assure you his intentions are useful to us. King Peter, this is my companion Takk, or Takkran. He will guide and protect you. The story of how I came to know him is for now irrelevant. You must reach your sister Queen Susan. Where are King Edmund and Queen Lucy?"

I had been gawking at the two all the while, but still I answered the question. "Lucy is in the royal kitchens. Edmund's working in some mine."

Terkkan nodded and patted Takk on the neck, whispering something to the dragon, who nodded. Then the dragon strode up to me and said in a deep, majestic voice, "Climb onto my back and let us set off at once for Tashbaan. We must rescue your sister. Once we have accomplished this I will continue to serve you until you, I, and Terkkan decide otherwise."

And so, still slightly dumbfounded, I stepped onto the back of the glorious red dragon, and he took off into the sky.

Flying wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. He was mostly soaring, though occasionally he caught a thermal and shot up, then gained velocity as he came back down to the level he had begun with. And after what was some of the most suspenseful few hours of my whole life, Tashbaan was under us. And so was Susan. We saw a courtyard with many people in it, close to the palace, with many important looking nobles and one very familiar teenage girl who looked proud despite everything. Almost unseen except for a few people whispering and pointing at us, we settled on a high roof of an important-looking building, Takk's claws digging into the undoubtedly expensive material.

"What now?" He grunted.

"Now," I declared, "we wait."


	16. Courage

A/N: Well, I still haven't been getting as many reviews as I'd like, but this story seems to slowly be getting a little more popular. Well, by all means, that's fine with me! Well, this chapter is the one from Susan's perspective. I think she's a little out of character, but now you see why I like using Peter better. Although, I'm going to have some practice because my next big story is going to have her as a main character. No more details for now, however. On with the story.

* * *

I clenched my teeth, looking around at how the Calormene nobles seemed to think this was a great activity to pass the time. It may have been amusing for them, but it wasn't for me. I kept a proud composition but inside I was beginning to slowly break down. Was it the end of my life already? Was this the end? I hadn't been around long enough. Oh, Lion's Mane, how I wanted to live longer! I hadn't spent enough time in Narnia, I'd never apologized to Edmund for screaming at him two years ago, and I'd never told Mum we were safe… and Peter! I would die not knowing whether or not he was dead too. All this time I had been hoping desperately that Peter would come, that he would save us; even if it was only one of us. It'd be better for him to have come and saved only Lucy than not have come at all. At least then Edmund and I would have been able to say goodbye. But now I knew he couldn't be alive. He would have come by now if he had been, unless he encountered some huge problem along the way.

"Pick up yer pace, girl!" The same man who had come that first night growled. I had by now learned that his name was Kameen, and he was an old war general. He was hardened and had killed many more times than is good for a person. And now, past his prime, he liked to visit prisoners and do… some of the things he'd done to Edmund and me. Luckily Lucy had been spared, but she'd had to watch. I still bore the scars that were given that night and Edmund did too. We would be haunted by nightmares for a long time.

"I said, MOVE!" Kameen yelled again, pushing me into motion. I whipped around and gave him a glare, which he returned, then we continued walking along. It was about three yards, but it seemed to me like an ocean's worth of space to tread. Eventually, however, I reached a spot where there was another man, this one holding an axe. I clenched my teeth and prepared to say goodbye to the world I knew and loved so much-

-And suddenly soared up into the sky. Instinct immediately made me scream, but I cut it off quickly and glanced up.

Peter grinned back down at me. It was a very Peter-like grin; like a mix of Lucy's and Edmund's. It was kind and caring, but had as well and undertone of mischief.

He said, "I'm rather glad that worked. Before we rescued you I was thinking about every single thing that could have gone wrong. So, of course, nothing did." As he was saying this, the dragon that had helped with my rescue delicately helped me up onto his back, and I settled behind Peter. It was good to see him again, but he looked a little different somehow. It was hard to find just what it was, and I was determined to do so later, but right now we were still in danger.

Arrows began flying up around us. The dragon roared and dove at a cluster of nobles, shooting fire into the heart of the group. As we flew away, I glanced back to see the charred remains of the spectators of what should have been my death. Again the dragon scorched some important-looking people, then went for the man with the axe, who would have slain me.

I thought quickly now. Something strange came over me, and I didn't quite know what it was. I'm still confused about what I felt, but it was like a burning sensation all over. I very suddenly heard the word _revenge _in my head.

"Peter," I yelled, "Ask the dragon to aim for the man in grey, but not to shoot fire at him!"

Peter replied, "The one with the cloak?"

"Yes!"

Peter tapped the dragon's neck and shouted a command I didn't hear, then the dragon swerved towards Kameen.

I said coldly, "When you're close enough, Peter, kill him."

Peter nodded. He looked slightly perplexed but nevertheless grabbed Rhindon and held it while the dragon came closer to our target.

"NOW!" I screamed. The dragon roared.

"FOR NARNIA!" Peter roared, stabbing the man directly in the heart. Then he quickly dislodged Rhindon and we burst back up into the sky, flying for a while then eventually landing on a high roof. Peter leapt off the dragon and proceeded to look for something with which to wipe his sword. I suppressed a giggle. He took Aslan's words about the subject very seriously and seemed a little silly about it sometimes. But the giggle was growing, and it was also one of utter relief. After all, my life had just been saved by a brother who I thought was also dead. I tumbled very unceremoniously off of the red dragon and burst out laughing, quite aware that I must have seemed like a maniac.

I managed to declare through my fits of laughter, "I- want- to- know- everything!"

"Of course. But later, there's still Lu and Ed. We were just in time! And not breaking down; Su, you were great! I guess it'd be useful for you to know that the dragon's name is Takk. I suggest thanking him, because he's the only reason I got here in time. Speaking of Takk," He said, turning to the dragon and beginning to speak to him, "You were remarkable! I don't know what to say except for the fact that I am utterly indebted to you."

I grinned. "Thank you, Takk. Thank you with all my heart. And sorry for screaming when you picked me up; it was a reflex."

The dragon replied, "You are both welcome. It is only my duty, though that is in no way saying I have not grown attached to one of you. And I am quickly getting to like the other. There are more to rescue, are there not? My suggestion, if you shall take it, is to go back to oasis and rest for a short while."

Peter replied, "A fine idea, Takk. Su, you were just in a pretty tough situation. I'd understand if you wanted to stay behind."

"No…" I replied slowly, a plan forming in my head. "Because I have an idea about how to save Lucy."


	17. Reunion

A/N: I'm back! Yeah, life's been busy. Nothing incredibly happy or sad; I was just very busy. And I had terrible writer's block. Either way, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: All characters created by C. S Lewis or Disney belong to C. S Lewis or Disney. All others belong to me.

* * *

"Okay. So let me repeat this just to make sure I have it right. You go into the palace dressed as servant. You ask where the kitchen is, then go there. You find Lucy and make sure she knows not to make a big fuss, then quietly lead her out and find a window facing our oasis. Takk and I will be waiting at that wall, then we go and get you two when you appear." I finished, trying to commit the plan to memory.

Susan nodded in approval. "That's it. Any flaws that I might have missed?"

I thought for about a minute, then nodded. "Yes, but only two. Nonetheless, any mistake could cost all of us our lives. One, we should decide on one particular window. Otherwise someone will notice Takk and I, or worse you and Lucy. Two, make sure you're _only seen by servants and slaves. _If any nobles see you, they might recognize you. That will cause trouble, and more trouble is the last thing we need right now. And Susan?"

"Yes?" She inquired, still agreeable.

I looked her in the eye, letting her know that what I was about to say was very important. "If anyone recognizes you, run. Don't stand your ground, don't hide. Run straight to the window and if you haven't found Lucy yet, we'll think of another plan."

Susan said, "It all sounds fine to me. Let's go."

* * *

"Why couldn't I have been the one going in there to rescue Lucy? It's been ten minutes; Susan shouldn't have taken this long! Something must have happened, she must've been-"

"King Peter, for your sake as well as mine, please be quiet." Takk rumbled.

I blushed bright red and muttered a quick apology. "But it's true." I said quickly.

Takk nodded. "It is. But you are thinking dark thoughts. Perhaps there are not as many servants to ask, or many nobles not to be seen by. Perhaps Lucy was somewhere other than the kitchen and Susan had to fetch her from there. Perhaps they are having trouble finding our window."

I sighed, resigned. "Yes, you're right. I'm being paranoid again. There are thousands of harmless possibilities, with only about five harmful ones. I'll keep quiet."

Below us, a market bustled. I had nothing better to do, and so I watched the goings-on of everyday Calormene life. Children ran through the streets, playing with each other. Salesman sold, customers bargained. Animals, like chickens and dogs, were rather common. I studied all this, and thought. There were happy people, and there were sad people. Tall, short, skinny, plump. There were all kinds of people down there, and they really didn't act much different from Narnians. If so, then why was Calormen thought of as a bloodthirsty country while Narnia was a cheerful, peace-loving one? Aside from how they looked, these people were no different from us. Why did we hate them? _Because of who rules them. _A voice in my head commented. At that moment, something clicked. It was only the Tisroc and his noble friends that made the decisions; the regular common people had no say in what was done. As for the soldiers, they must have been trained to think the way they did. But these Calormenes were people, just like the Narnians I knew. They had opinions and feelings, just like us. We shouldn't hate them… we should only hate the Tisroc. Now, suddenly, I understood why the rebels had left. In fact, I understood a whole lot more than I had five minutes ago.

"PETER!" I swiveled just in time to nearly be knocked off Takk. All I saw was a blur of brown and cream, then as the shape retreated it took the form of a human. A little girl. My sister. Lucy.

"Lucy! Oh, thank the Lion you're okay! I was so, so worried!" I cried joyfully, squeezing her so tightly I wasn't sure whether or not she could breathe.

"Sorry, but I think we should be going!" Susan interrupted, climbing behind me. Lucy settled in front. I gave her a questioning look, and she pointed back through the window. I yelped and ducked just as an arrow whizzed over my head. Takk snarled and dove down, then swerved to the right. Lucy screamed, and grabbed me to keep steady. I realized foggily that Susan and I had done the same, then squeezed my eyes shut and held on tightly myself. There was another series of dizzying swoops and corkscrews, then the calm tickle of wind on my cheeks. I hesitantly opened my eyes and looked down; sand. We were out of Tashbaan. I breathed a great sigh of relief as Takk apologized for the unexpected aerial show and flew lower, closer to the ground. I thanked him and arranged myself so that I sat facing the dragon's tail. It meant that I also faced Lucy, who was looking down with a mixture of amazement, alarm, and joy, and so it took her a second to notice me grinning at her. When she did, I couldn't begin to describe how happy she was.

"Oh, Peter, I can't believe it's you! And Susan as well! How did you know where I was? How did Susan find me, and how did you find Susan? Do you know where Edmund is? Do you know if he's okay? Who came with you, Peter? Why do you look strange? And who's the dragon? Why did-"

"One at a time, Lu!" I chuckled. Lucy nodded and took a deep breath.

"How did you know where I was?"

"A letter, from some noble."

"How did Susan find me?"

"As far as I know, she asked a servant where the kitchen was. You'll have to ask her when we get back to camp. Lu, have you memorized every single question you just asked in that order?"

"Yes! How did you find Susan?"

I grinned. Lucy's song of happiness never missed a beat. "Again, a letter. I didn't read it myself; Sylvar brought news of it to us."

Lucy, still smiling, continued. "Do you know where Edmund is?"

"Sort of. Last we heard he was working in a mine, but that was two days ago." Lucy's smile faltered slightly, but it was no truly bad news, so it didn't disappear completely.

"And do you know if he's okay?"

"…No, I'm afraid we don't know."

As the oasis appeared on the horizon, Lucy's smile faded completely. "Oh. But we're about to go rescue him, right?"

And as we landed the middle of the camp, I began to grin again. "Yes, we are."

Terkkan, panting and bleeding from a wound in his arm, ran up to us. He had an urgent look on his face. "Actually, you aren't. While you rescued your sister, we found your brother. But this is no cause for celebration; he's been mortally wounded."

That's when I noticed it; blood stained the sand all around us, and formed a path leading into a tent.

Lucy leapt off of Takk and charged into the tent, whipping out her cordial without a thought.

"Edmund!"


	18. Anguish

A/N: Sorry, I did this one really quickly. It's very short, compared to what I've been creating lately, but nonetheless I like it... the first half, anyhow.

Disclaimer: Any characters or places associated with C. S Lewis or Disney belong to C. S Lewis or Disney. All the rest belong to me.

* * *

"Ed!" I yelled, and followed Lucy. I was unaware as Susan dismounted and followed me; everything was a blur. I had come so far, and been through so much to save my siblings. I had as well made a promise long ago to keep them safe. The last thing I needed was my little brother dying! I pushed aside the tent flap and gasped. How was Edmund still alive? 

He was really just a bloody mess. There was a deep slash mark that ran down his left calf. One of his arms was at a strange angle, and his nose was bloody. So was what looked like an ugly knife cut down his cheek. The worst wound, obviously the fatal one, was a pair of stab marks and a slash over his lower abdomen. Worst of all, Edmund didn't seem to be breathing. There was a Rebel healer trying to tend to him but when he saw Lucy, Susan, and me he scrambled out of the way. Lucy bent down, and unscrewed the cap on her cordial.

We had been through this before. Why was it Edmund again, when he had already been so badly wounded? He didn't deserve to have such a thing happen to him twice! He was dying, if not already dead; what kind of cruel, hateful, merciless beast would do such a thing to a mere child?

A drop of the cordial entered Edmund's open mouth. I didn't want to look, but my eyes were fixed.

"Ed, Ed, oh please, Edmund, wake up!" Lucy pleaded. He didn't wake up.

I lowered my head. "No... Lion's mane, no..." I whispered. Susan gave a hiccupping sob, and I realized that my own cheeks were very wet. So were my eyes. It had been almost 30 seconds since Lucy used her cordial.

"You can't be dead. You can't be!" I cried.

"I'm not." A tiny, almost inaudible voice croaked. Did he just... I dared to look up again. And I saw my beloved, breathing, grinning, living little brother turning his head to face us.

"EDMUND!" Susan, Lucy and I all screamed together, leaping forward to embrace him. He was all right, he was alive, it wasn't his ghost. I could feel his breath on my shoulder; he was going to be ok.

"Ouch." Edmund muttered, and I quickly got off of him. So did Susan and Lucy.

He looked around the tent. "Did I really bleed that much?"

"Yes." I said. "But that's not the most important point. The most important point is that we need to know who did that to you, and that we need to kill them as soon as we possibly can."

Edmund replied, "Already done, by Terkkan. You should have seen him! It was you at the Battle of Beruna, Peter, but back in that mine it was Terkkan. He was almost as mad as you!"

"Good." I chuckled. "He's not allowed to be more protective of you than I am."

Edmund laughed, and flashed one of his cheeky smiles. Oh, how it was good to see them again!

"We were so, so worried that you were going to die." Susan said.

"Frankly, so was I." Edmund laughed. I smiled. I was glad to hear Edmund's smart comments, for once. It reminded me that he was here, he was safe, and he was back where he belonged; with us.

* * *

"King Edmund! You're okay!" I grinned as the Narnians and Rebels flocked together around my little brother. They all thought only three of us would come out of that tent. I have to admit, so did I. But here was my brother, alive and currently laughing with Stormfeather. 

"You've come a long way from home." I turned to see Susan, smiling at me.

I replied, "So have we all." She positioned herself beside me, and for a long time we watched the celebrations. All was right; Edmund wasn't dead, Susan and Lucy were okay, and I was quite sure we would soon return to Narnia. But something, something, was nagging at the back of my mind; something about me. What was wrong?

Suddenly very afraid, I remembered.

I was still a werewolf.


End file.
